Monday, October 6, 2014

The 1,000 List, Installment #2

As a follow up to Installment #1, here is #2! 100 more things that make me happy and grateful.

101. A hot, wet cloth on my face
102. Having a gal pal do my hair and makeup
103. A pair of sweatpants so comfy it makes me happy just to be wearing them
104. Dancing with my girl Samantha
105. Stretching
106. Dancing in my apartment on Saturdays
107. Randomly picking up a movie at the library and then just loving it
108. Same as above, but with a book
109. Pumping gas
110. Getting a comment on my blog
111. Reading the newspaper and actually enjoying it
112. Taking a trip that involves an airplane
113. Grooming
114. Mani-pedis
115. A dog that doesn't smell
116. An unexpected letter or package in the mail
117. Giving flowers
118. Receiving flowers
119. Arranging flowers in a jar or vase, maybe adding a ribbon
120. Cleaning up just a tiny corner or side table or such and then first glancing it, now all cleaned up; feeling that sense of relief and refreshment
121. Adding just a little something -- perfume, earrings, a scarf -- to an outfit to give me a little boost, and/or make me feel a little less gross when I don't have time to fully shower and primp
122. Lying down (i.e. not rushed) to look at the stars
123. Camping
124. A heart-to-heart with a friend in a car
125. Automatic car washes
126. Rain
127. Thunderstorms
128. Rooibos tea with a splash of milk and a rusk on the side
129. Sweating (you read that correctly)
130. Working out
131. Cleaning up my desk at work
132. Red Starbucks cups
133. Any Starbucks cup
134. A few pieces of melt-in-your-mouth chocolate with a cup of coffee, particularly in the afternoon at the office when I need a pick-me-up, or just because
135. Instantly hitting it off with a newly met friend
136. Spending a whole day running errands, and feeling so productive and tired and bubbly* at the end of the day (*usually some shopping is involved)
137. Getting my oil changed and tires rotated -- a little love for the car
138. Taking a few laps around the building at work
139. The fact that I live in SoCal and can do #138 basically any day of the year
140. Being told that I'd be a good teacher
141. When my brother Patrick pronounces "headache" as if he were speaking Mandarin (huh-dah-chee)
142. Playing football
143. Having a cocktail or a beer with Patrick
144. FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (the show, not the movie)
145. Tyra on Friday Night Lights
146. Landry on Friday Night Lights
147. Tami on Friday Night Lights
148. Root vegetables, in all their tasty forms: chips, fries, oven-roasted chunks
149. Discussing kids books -- and books in general -- with my mom
150. When the dictionary comes out during dinner with my family (it happens)
151. A BLT, corn on the cob, and a Michelob Ultra on a summer night
152. A red tomato, sliced, with salt -- mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
153. Sesame Street
154. Continuing to sing in a large group, after the instruments stop playing for a verse or chorus
155. Those Facebook friends who I don't know very well in real life but whose posts just make me happy
156. The rarely accomplished nap, particularly if I don't feel depressed upon waking
157. Knowing I'm being prayed for
158. Seed bead necklaces
159. My friend Karina's laugh
160. TV Land shows: The Exes, Happily Divorced, Jennifer Falls
161. Natural light
162. When Faith Hill and Tim McGraw sing together (here and here, specifically)
163. General coziness -- blankets, socks, sweaters
164. When it's chilly enough in SoCal for #163 to be possible
165. The smell of laundry
166. Doing laundry
167. A dinner that goes long and has coffee at the end
168. Seeing the latest animated film
169. Having my faith in humanity restored
170. Watching ballet
171. Doing ballet
172. Playing tennis with -- and getting my arse kicked by -- my 65+ friend Klaus
173. Playing on a playground with fellow adults
174. A delicious sandwich
175. A kiss on the cheek
176. Having wavy/curly hair for the day
177. Flirty, dangly earrings
178. Faux diamond stud earrings (a la Lorelai Gilmore)
179. A kitty's nose on my skin
180. High fives
181. Meeting people's families
182. A new crush
183. Dad's poached eggs. Guys. You don't even know. If you live near him and haven't experienced this culinary phenomenon, go knock on his door and make a request. Tell him I sent you.
184. Putting lotion on my feet, before bed
185. Good smells. I mean, duh, but really -- smell is one of the most powerful senses to me. A good smell can have tremendous effect on my level of peace.
186. Birds. Birds.
187. Being kind of bored on the phone with someone I love but not hanging up because I kind of love them
188. Avocado on a burger
189. Pots with a lip on the edge so I can pour soup directly into a bowl
190. Wearing lip gloss. Particularly that moment when I apply it. There's a weird feeling of hopefulness I get, and I don't just mean hopeful for a kiss.
191. The fact that things -- dishes, hair, clothes -- dry really quickly in desert Los Angeles
192. Fried egg on a burger that drips down and between my fingers when I eat it (namely the Misfit Burger. So amazingly good.)
193. Seeing new emails from friends I love
194. Gin and tonics (Gins and tonic?)
195. Flirting
196. The way hair that has been heated by the sun feels to the touch
197. Scripture in conversation that doesn't sound preachy but rather like the bread that it is
198. When people are really present. When they don't want to be anywhere else but right there with me and whoever else is around. When no one is thinking about when they'll go home.
199. The fact that Samantha -- who I've known for years -- and I simply greet each other over the phone and instantly start cracking up.
200. Rediscovering how delicious and pure iced tea can taste. For some reason I never fully commit it to sensual memory.

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